Don't give up praying

A small boy praying in church said loudly: "Lord, bigyan ako...cheeseburger, French fries, apple pie, strawberry shake, diet Coke..." A priest, who's passing by, said: "Iho, nanalangin ka ba o nag-oorder sa Diyos?" (Son, are you praying or ordering God?).

- FR. BEL SAN LUIS, SVD

When we pray, we don't order God. As the saying goes: "Man proposes; God disposes."

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In this Sunday's gospel the evangelist Luke suggests that prayer begins with the risk of asking ('Lord, teach us to pray'). It is entrusting oneself to silence and uncertainty.

God is not at our disposal. We give him the freedom to answer "yes," "no," or "wait." For if we want to get what we want every time we pray, we are not praying but ordering God.

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